‘Why did you hang up the first time? Your dad picked, right?’ Ananya asked as
we walked back.
I stopped in my tracks. ‘How do you know?’
‘I guessed. I do it with mom when I’m angry with her. We don’t hang up; we
just stay on the line and keep silent.’
‘And pay?’
‘Yes. Pretty expensive way to let each other know we are upset. Only
sometimes though.’
‘I never speak to my father,’ I said.
‘Why?’ Ananya looked at me.
‘Long story. Not for tonight. Or any night. I’d like to keep it to myself.’
‘Sure,’ she said.
We walked for a moment in silence before she spoke again. ‘So your parents
have big expectations from you? Which job are you going to take? Finance?
Marketing? IT?’
‘Neither of those,’ I said. ‘Though i will take up a job for the money first.’
‘So what do you want to be? Like really?’ She looked right into my eyes.
I couldn’t lie. ‘I want to be a writer?’ I said.
I expected her to flip out and laugh. But she didn’t. She nodded and continued
to walk. ‘What kind of writer?’ she said.
‘Someone who tells stories that are fun but bring about change too. The pen’s
mightier than the sword, one of the first proverbs we learnt, isn’t it?’
She nodded.
‘Sounds ridiculous?’
‘No, not really,’ she said.
‘How about you? What do you want to be?’
She laughed. ‘Well, I don’t know. My mother already feels I’m too ambitious
and independent. So I am trying not to think too far. As of now, I just want to do
nora
(Nora)
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